PokerStars Brings PCA Roaring Back for 2018, Qualify from $1.10

For most of the past decade it was the signature poker event to kick off the New Year and a celebrated meeting spot for online grinders and live pros the world over.

Then, with one marketing/re-branding decision it was gone.

And now it's back.

After a one-year hiatus where it ran as the PokerStars Championship Bahamas, PokerStars has announced this week the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure is back for January 2018.

And it's back in a big way with a return to the $10,000 Main Event buy-in, hundreds of online qualifiers and reduced fees on virtually everything.

An Institution Restored

While Christian Harder, the winner of the 2017 PokerStars Championship Bahamas, might have been fine with the changes many of the game's die-hard players bemoaned the loss of the Caribbean Adventure as the de facto annual reunion for players big and small.

It was still held at the famed Atlantic Resort & Casino in the Bahamas but it's safe to say it lost a bit of the flair that had made it one of the most popular stops on the poker trail.

The $429,664 Harder won also paled in comparison to the $3m Poorya Nazari won in 2009, for example.

Hoping to restore some of that flash and thrill, PokerStars has resurrected the PCA name and brand for 2018 with big plans to help restore it to its former glory.

The changes aren't just in name only as several efforts are being introduced to bring the spotlight back to the players and offer better value.

Main Event Returns to $10,000 Buy-In

The biggest change, first and foremost, is the return of the PCA Main Event to a $10,000 buy-in.

Reduced to $5,000 in past years it initially helped lower-bankroll players give it a go but ultimately resulted in much smaller prize pools for the winners.

A number of other intitiatives/promotions have also been announced, hoping to draw those massive fields back to the Bahamas in 2018. Among the changes:

$100,000 Super High Roller, $50,000 High Roller and $25,000 High Roller events

All tournaments over $10,000 have admin fee capped at $300 (down from $2,000, $1,500 and $750).

Admin fees reduced by 50% on all tournaments with levels of 19 minutes or less.

A streamlined and tailored schedule with over 30 tournaments added w/ longer levels

A $50,000 freeroll on the final day open to anyone who has played in any PCA events

Limited edition PCA merchandise

Daily Q&A sessions with Team PokerStars Pros

Enormous player party and player bag worth $200 each

Live face-to-face heads-up match between Kevin Hart and Usain Bolt

Over 400 Extra Qualifiers; Qualify for as Low as $1.10

Also important to the resurrection of the PCA: recapturing the detail and spirit involved. To that end, says Director of Corporate Communications Eric Hollreiser, an extra 400 qualifiers for the Main Event will win their way to Atlantis online:

"We will also increase the promotions around PCA in order to bring even more people and make qualifying for packages as exciting as we can. We are committed to sending at least 400 players to this must-play event."

Among the special promotions you'll be able to find on PokerStars include:

PCA satellites start in September on PokerStars and players can qualify for as little as $1.10. Check out our PokerStars review to download the software and try your luck! The 2018 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure runs Jan 6-14, 2018.